“Chau, What I have heard pleases me well; I do not know why I go to war against the English. Noques, what do you think? You must be strong. I did not begin the war, therefore, I have little to say; but whatever you agree to, I will do the same.” Then he addressed himself to the Shawanese, and said, “You brought the hatchet to us from the French, and persuaded us to strike our brothers the English; you may consider (laying the belts, &c. before them) wherefore you have done this.”
The Shawanese acknowledged they received the hatchet from the French, who persuaded them to strike the English; that they would now send the belts to all the Indians, and in twelve days would meet again.
Present at this council, three hundred French and Indians. They all took leave, and went over again to the fort, but my companions, who were about seventy in number.
Shamokin Daniel, who came with me, went over to the fort by himself, (which my companions disapproved of) and counselled with the Governor; who presented him with a laced coat and hat, a blanket, shirts, ribbons, a new gun, powder, lead, &c. When he returned he was quite changed, and said, “See here, you fools, what the French have given me. I was in Philadelphia, and never received a farthing;” and, directing himself to me, he said, “The English are fools, and so are you.” In short, he behaved in a very proud, saucy and imperious manner. He further said, “The English never give the Indians any powder, and that the French would have given him a horseload, if he would have taken it; see that young man there, he was in Philadelphia and never got any thing; I will take him over to the French; and get some cloathing for him.”
Three Indians informed me, that as soon as the French got over, they called a council, with their own Indians, among whom there happened accidentally to be a Delaware captain, who was privately invited by one of his acquaintances to hear what the French had to say; and when they were assembled, the French spoke, as follows:
“My children, now we are alone, hearken to what I have to say. I perceive the Delawares are wavering; they incline to the English, and will be faithful to us no longer. Now all the chiefs are here, and but a handful, let us cut them off, and then we shall be troubled with them no longer.” Then the Tawaas [Ottawas] answered, “No, we cannot do this thing; for though there is but a handful here, the Delawares are a strong people, and are spread to a great distance, and whatever they agree to must be.”
This afternoon, in council, on the other side of the river, the French insisted that I must be delivered up to them, and that it was not lawful for me to go away; which occasioned a quarrel between them and the Indians, who immediately came away and crossed the river to me; and some of them let me know thet Daniel had received a string from the French, to leave me there; but it was to no purpose, for they would not give their consent; and then agreed that I should set off before day the next morning.
27th.—Accordingly, I set out before day, with six Indians, and took another road, that we might not be seen; the main body told me, they would stay behind, to know whether the French would make an attempt to take me by force; that if they did, they, the Indians, would endeavour to prevent their crossing the river, and coming secretly upon me. Just as I set off the French fired all their great guns, it being Sunday (I counted nineteen) and concluded they did the same every Sabbath. We passed through three Shawanese towns; the Indians appeared very proud to see me return, and we arrived about night at Sawcunk, where they were likewise very glad to see me return. Here I met with the two captains, who treated me so uncivilly before; they now received me very kindly, and accepted of my hand, and apologized for their former rude behaviour. Their names are Kuckquetackton and Killbuck.[45] They said,
“Brother, we, in behalf of the people of Sawcunk, desire that you will hold fast what you have begun, and be strong.[46] We are but little and poor, and therefore cannot do much. You are rich, and must go on and be strong. We have done all in our power towards bringing about a peace: we have had a great quarrel about you with the French; but we do not mind them. Do you make haste, and be strong, and let us see you again.” The said Killbuck is a great captain and conjurer; he desired me to mention him to the Governor, and ask him if he would be pleased to send him a good saddle by the next messenger; and that he would do all in his power for the service of the English.